Stronger Scrutiny from Companies House – What It Means for Your Business
As part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act reform, Companies House have been granted greater powers to strengthen the accuracy and reliability of the UK company register.
What changes are in action?
Rigorous Scrutiny of Company Filings
The Registrar can now:
- Query or reject filings that raise concerns
- Request supporting evidence for details such as share structures, PSCs, or company names
- Remove data that’s incomplete, inaccurate, false, or fraudulent
- Annotate records where issues are detected
These changes ensure entries on the public register are trustworthy and help protect against misuse.
Tighter Controls on Company Names
Expect a more thorough review of proposed names to prevent
- Misleading or confusing names
- Imitations of well-known brand
The Registrar’s proactive approach helps safeguard public confidence in the register.
Clean-up and Data Matching
Companies House is rolling out tools to:
- Cross-check information across filings
- Identify and remove outdated or incorrect data
- Annotate entries to flag potential concerns
These efforts will enhance the quality and reliability of publicly available company records.
Enforcement & Sanctions
Failing to respond to formal queries from Companies House can have serious consequences, such as
- Financial penalties
- Public annotations (which could undermine trust with banks, partners or investors)
- Prosecution in serious instances
How CFW Can Help
At CFW Accountants, we understand the evolving Companies House landscape—and we’ve got you covered. Our expert Partners and team ensure your filings are accurate, compliant, and stress-free.
Still have questions? We’re here to help you stay ahead of the changes and in full compliance. Call us today on 01536 713 555 send us an email enquiries@cfwaccountants.co.uk or click here to contact us.
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